Tag Archives: land rover lime rock park

Tell us about yourself, your history with the company and about Spectro.

About me? I’m an outdoorsman, I enjoy cooking (and eating), and I love anything with a motor, I am basically the embodiment of the Muddy Chef! Ha-ha.

My history with Spectro Oils is rather intertwined as it is my family’s business. It was my grandfather, Robert Wehman who started Spectro Oils in 1966 right here in Connecticut, where we have been now for almost 50 years! We have been family owned and operated since day 1, with the goal to make high performance, and quality lubricants.

It’s funny, but I never know how to respond to people who ask me how long I have been working here. I have been a full time employee for around 4 years now, but I have always been with the company in some regard. Even when it was sweeping the floors during the summers in High School to help out. It was amazing how I always got called in when there were weird odd jobs, or long time consuming ones, but it never mattered to me because I have always loved being around, and being a part of this company. My proof in that is whenever we package gear oils, every employee complains due to the smell, the additives in gear oils tend to be rather, shall we say….pungent. But to me it’s a great smell, it brings me back to when I would visit my dad, uncle, grandfather, and grandmother when I was young, to me it’s a nostalgic smell.

Spectro makes a number of oils that would fit a wide variety of Land Rovers. But the ones that would best fit that Buick motor would have to be our Motor-Guard 20w50. We carry it in two forms, a straight petroleum, as well as a semi-synthetic.

The reason that Spectro’s Motor-Guard line is a great fit for these motors is that they are high in an additive called ZDDP, or if you prefer the long name Zinc DiakylDithioPhosphates. ZDDP is a must have in any race cars, and classic cars/trucks, especially pre-catalytic converter, or that have flat tappet motors. The most important part off ZDDP is the zinc, because it is what we call an anti-wear agent. In short zinc bonds to the metal surfaces inside of your motor, and acts as a sacrificial barrier to prevent engine wear. It helps reduce the internal damage in the motor that can lead to major repairs.

What was your favorite moment from last year’s Muddy Chef Challenge?

Do I have to pick one moment? I honestly enjoyed the MCC from the second I got to the Falls Village Inn for the pre-weekend festivities to the closing awards ceremony. The biggest thing I enjoyed about this event though is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s FUN!!! That’s what the whole adventure is about, and it shows from every aspect. From allowing contestants to bribe judges (Feel free to contact me ahead of time this year for a list of my likes, and dislikes), to the comradery, and the genuine feeling that everyone is there to have a good time, it’s an exceptional event through and through.

But when all is said and done the one thing that impressed me more than anything else at the event was how everyone helped each other out. I saw people helping to fix other Rovers that went down, people sharing spices and other supplies during the cook-off, and some who went out of their way to make sure everyone got a chance to go out on the trails and have an adventure.

I really cannot say enough about the MCC staff, the contestants, and the event itself, it was truly a special event to be a part of.

You had a unique perspective as a judge. What was it like tasting all those courses?

Divine. Filling. Hilarious. Let there be no question I was the least proper judge at the table. Other judges were using words I barely understood to describe the flavors, and textures (I’m fairly certain they made a few of them up just to mess with me). But I started to get the hang of it, and have pretty much had Food Network on every day since then to prepare myself for this year.

Now the problem is going to be stretching out my stomach before the event. I am a larger individual who has been known to eat large quantities in one sitting before, but I have never been as full as I was after the MCC3 judging. I beg all of you that are participating this year, please bring us smaller portion sizes. You put amazing food in front of me last year, and with every bite I got larger and larger. But who am I kidding, I loved every second of it!

What to you plan to display/sell/offer at this year’s event?

I plan on setting up a nice little retail operation at the track this year. I will make sure to have a number of different oils to make sure that I have exactly what you need. I will also have with me a few of our cleaning products so you can make that Rover nice and clean for the next day out on the trail!

I will also have a number of giveaways of hats, stickers, t-shirts, and other things of that nature.

Be prepared for awards for things like;

Most outlandish campsite

Biggest Off-road Smile

Weirdest food Pairing

Best Location/Use of a Spectro Sticker

3rd Best Dressed (Behind MHP and Eric of course)

I would also just like to take a moment to thank everyone involved in the MCC. I have seen only a fraction of what Eric and Kristen do to make sure the event is as fun as possible and even that fraction was immense. Along with them are a number of instructors, photographers, other sponsors, and the Lime Rock Park office, all of whom don’t get enough credit for what they do to make this happen. I am lucky that I am able to do a lot of traveling for my job, and everywhere I went I was telling people about the Muddy Chef. I can honestly say that from Daytona to Milan, from Cologne to Chicago, there are many people out there who are jealous of this event. Please make sure that while we are there to really give credit, and thanks to the people that make the Muddy Chef possible.

This week we are interviewing Keenan Langlois – Muddy Chef competitor, professional Chef, LR4 owner, and the man with one of the coolest campsites at last year’s Muddy Chef Challenge.

Proust/Solihull Questionnaire

1. If Land Rover made an aircraft would you fly in it? Why/Why Not?

Yes. I would imagine if Land Rover made an aircraft it would be a helicopter, luxury on the inside with amazing maneuverability.

2. Tell us a little about your background, your career, and where you live.

I am a chef at The Sinclair Kitchen in Harvard Square, and I live in Salem, MA just outside of Boston. My family were Jeep owners since the seventies until I drove my sisters 2003 Disco a few years back. I bought my first Land Rover in 2014.

3. How many Land Rovers have you owned and which was your favorite?

I have had the good/bad fortune of owning my first TWO rovers in one year. This due to a wreck that totaled my first one in February. I soon was on the hunt for another same year and color, which I picked up four weeks ago.

4. What’s the best thing about owning a Land Rover?

This year’s snowfall in the Northeast was abominable. Loved just getting in the LR cranking it up, raise suspension and put it in drive. No shovel required! This car also saved me a lot of pain from the wreck. I walked away from a 60 mph head on collision.

5. What’s the worst thing about owning a Land Rover?

The temperamental warning lights. What’s going to light up next?

6. Been on an adventure? – tell us about it

My only great Land Rover adventure was MCC3, had a blast and looking forward to MCC4!

7. How do you plan to beat the competition this year at the Muddy Chef Challenge?

I’m not looking to win anything in the chef challenge. I just want to meet great new people and get into some serious mud.

8. If you could ask Land Rover for a particular type of vehicle what would it be?

I’ll leave the planning up to the experts. Looks like they are going in the right direction with the Evoque and the new Disco Sport!

9. What upgrades/modifications does your Land Rover have?

Since recommendations from new friends at MCC3 I had added Johnson Rods and General Grabber AT 285/65/18. Lost in the accident, but I will rebuild.

10. If you were on safari which three people would you pick to bring along?

World Class Whiskey – From Vermont?

I’ve been writing on wines and spirits for over 15 years, and living in Vermont for even longer, but the two have never had much in common – until now.

Unlike vodkas made from Maple syrup or even lactose (really), WhistlePig, which is bottled on a farm in rural Shoreham, Vermont, is not just another marketing gimmick – according to many critics it is the best rye whiskey in the world.

As I reported recently with the launch of a high-end rye from boutique bourbon maker Knob Creek, super-premium rye is the hot new spirits category. America’s favorite before Prohibition, rye is again all the rage among bartenders heralding a return of classic cocktails like the Manhattan and Old Fashioned. But WhistlePig is almost too good for this, and can be appreciated on its own.

Introduced in mid-2010 and made in very limited quantity (1000 cases), the story behind WhistlePig is unique. Industry legend Dave Pickerell, the longtime Master Distiller for the renowned Maker’s Mark bourbon distillery in Kentucky, decided to devote himself to a quest for the best rye possible, the next evolution of boutique bourbons. He wandered the earth trying rye whiskies, until he found what he considered its finest expression in the form of a new Canadian version, made from nothing but rye grain (law requires the majority of starch to be rye in order to be labeled rye whiskey, just as it requires 51% corn for bourbon, but pure ryes are rare).

For various reasons, including the fact that rye grain is considerably more expensive than corn, but also because a straight rye distillation is very tough on equipment, gumming it up with sticky residue, few distillers have bothered with pure rye whiskey. But the Canadians solved the sticky problem with two solutions, using malted rye and by developing a special strain of yeast-like fungus for distillation (for much more detail on this issue, check out this article from a great site devoted entirely to Canadian whiskies).

So Pickerell teamed up with WhistlePig founder Raj Bhakta, a former contestant on The Apprentice, who purchased a two century old working farm in Shoreham and renamed it WhistlePig Farm and began growing his own rye. Bhakta purchased the incredible Canadian rye whiskey, still in bulk storage, brought it back to Vermont, hand bottled it, and it blew critics away with rave reviews. At the same time, Bhakta and Pickerell, now Master Distiller for WhistlePig, have set up their own distillery on the farm and are working towards producing their rye from start to finish going forward.

But where it is made is not nearly as important as how it tastes.

Pickerell fell in love with the stuff because of its strength, purity (100% rye grain) and maturity – he calls the combination of proof and purity 100/100 and along with 10 years of aging in new American oak barrels, claims it hits “the sweet spot” in all three categories. I think he is right, and the balance between the higher than usual strength, higher than usual purity, and lengthy aging is perfect. It certainly does not taste like 100 proof, or half alcohol, because the woodiness for the aging perfectly balances the strength. It’s got just a hint of herby spice, maybe a little mint or cinnamon, but nowhere as much as many whiskies and less spicy zing than most ryes. Rather it j tastes of grain, its essential component, in a good, earthy, bread-like way, with the caramel-rich mouth feel of well-aged whiskies. I hesitate to call it straightforward, because that makes it sound simple, but its straightforward – it tastes like rye.

I’m not the only one who likes it. When the first batch was just released in mid-2010, it immediately earned a whopping 96-point rating from Wine Enthusiast – the highest rating the prestigious magazine has ever given to a rye. The Tasting Panel magazine gave it 94, and F. Paul Pacult’s acclaimed Spirit Journal gave it the highest possible 5-star rating. Details magazine simply called it “America’s Best New Whiskey,” while the Wall Street Journal named it one of the top five whiskies of the year. There was no shortage of other accolades.

And the odd name? Well to really appreciate that, you have to listen to the funny story in first person audio from Bhakta on WhistlePig’s website, but hey, it’s as good as lots of names, and to go with it, they created a suitable logo which reminds me of the Monopoly board game guy crossed with a pig. If I’m going to buy a $70 bottle of rye from anyone, it’s as likely as not to be a cartoon high-roller pig with a top hat and cigar.

But seriously, as whiskey lovers continue to enthusiastically embrace WhistlePig, there is likely to be a lag between the sellout of the limited first batch and future production, so hesitation might not be the best strategy.

This is no diamond-in-the-rough. It’s not an “oldie but goodie” like Bowman’s well-storied Ram. This ravaged third-gen 4Runner a mean-muggin’ non-fucking-giving beater, and now we have the arduous task of taking care of it. Or, you know, destroying it.

Last night this lifted, bent, ratty Toyota 4Runner appeared at my doorstep like an abandoned baby in a basket. It smells faintly of Mexican food and everything aft of the front seats seem to have been converted to a sleeping/storage area.

At least somebody did put the wheel back where it’s meant to go, here’s the 4Runner as it sits at Truck Yeah HQ right now:

The whole thing is this cool militaryish green/grey with a Rhinoliner’d hood (why?). The front grille is definitely not straight and neither is the (aftermarket?) trailer-hitch rig. But really, all it needs is a light bar and maybe some funky Plasti-Dip on those wheels. Next stop Wal-Mart, baby.

Okay the real story is the owner (a former colleague) lit off to San Francisco and didn’t feel like paying for parking, I think, so he bequeathed it to Truck Yeah!/Jalopnik for an undefined period of time “as long as we promised to document its destruction.”

You’ve convinced the spouse. You’ve spent the money. Now you’re the proud owner of…Read more

After a brief assessment and lap around the driveway, I’ve concluded it may be too nice to simply suicide… sounds okay, tires are great, and the 3″(?) lift looks professionally executed.

So what are we going to do with this hog? Chase polar bears up Canada way? Mud racin’? Make it my new guest bedroom? Should be a good rig to teach my fellow NY-based bloggers how to off-road this summer… at the very least.

REALLY A SERIES III?

A Land Rover Series III for sale? Wow! So you want a classic Series III Land Rover but ain’t a bank president. Or you are a bank president and you want an immaculate Series III Land Rover… The car below could be either. It’s an amazing original Land Rover with a huge amount of extra parts and some extremely rare stuff. Have you ever seen the original tool roll and the protecto-plate ID plate? No? Neither had I.

WHAT’S IT NEED?

Almost certainly a frame. It’s crusty. But, the truck drives and runs fine and has an overdrive. That’s important for going somewhere closer than the local beach or camping trip.

WHAT’S IT COST?

Well, that depends. You can buy it one of two ways. As it is and do the work yourself. Or negotiate a new frame and have an amazing barn find truck to drive anywhere.

I’M INTERESTED!

PM me at info@muddychef.com and I’ll hook you up with the seller. I’ll tell you in advance he ain’t looking for bargain hunters or tire kickers.

Muddy Chef Challenge 4

Muddy Chef Challenge 4

The date has been selected! July 30 – Aug 2, 2015. We are excited to continue our relationship with Lime Rock Park as event host. Also, since last year several million dollars has been invested there in infrastructure and grounds. That means all new showers and facilities! Heck, we even have a Tequila sponsor. It’s going to be great!

The mission of OutdoorX4 is to promote responsible 4×4 adventure travel along with the utility of 4×4 and dual-sport vehicles to enjoy all forms of outdoor recreation. In essence, we want to help create solidarity amongst all communities of adventure enthusiasts because at the end of the day, enjoying the great outdoors should be a right of which we all share rather than a privilege.

The Magazine

So what makes OutdoorX4 different from other publications? Well, for one our content is a hybrid of all areas of outdoor recreation and adventure. Whether you’re an avid 4×4 adventure traveler, mountain bike enthusiast, camp cooking aficionado, world-class fisherman, dual-sport motorcyclist or weekend warrior, OutdoorX4 is focused on providing the most engaging and unique content to appeal to the broadest range of outdoors enthusiast while providing expert advice in the field, suggestions on places to visit along with an expanded perspective on the history of the areas we travel, as well as dynamic photography that inspires the outdoors enthusiast to choose the road less traveled.

Frank Ledwell, Editor-in-Chief

Frank is an avid explorer, adventurer, and advocate of responsible outdoor recreation and off-highway travel. Frank has had the fortune of traveling throughout the world, including destinations throughout North and Central America, as well as across Eastern and Western Europe. When he’s not cycling across Texas on his road bike or climbing in the Swiss Alps, he is touring the backcountry in remote destinations throughout the United States and abroad in his diesel Grand Cherokee.

Frank is the Editor-in-Chief of OutdoorX4. Additionally, he was the Co-Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of JPFreek Adventure Magazine from 2006 through mid-2012 as well as publisher of several industry journals. He is a member of the Texas Auto Writers Association, and his articles on off-highway travel, adventure destinations, and product reviews have been featured in numerous publications. Frank resides in Texas with his family.

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John Herrick, Publisher

With a deep and varied background in business and a nose for keeping work fun while doing what he enjoys, John Herrick publishes OutdoorX4. John makes sure the book gets to subscribers and the newsstand while enjoying as many adventures as possible the rest of the time which also includes producing CRAWL Magazine as well as producing special outdoor events.

He’s been published as both a writer and photographer, an avocation he took up in his late teens.

An avid Jeep owner, John also enjoys desert racing, rock crawling, and other motorsports. With an eye towards responsibility, he heads the CRAWL Trail Foundation which promotes grass roots trail preservation.

John lives in Northern Nevada in the shadow of the Eastern Sierra, with his wife Pam of 30 years.

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Phil Golden, Director of Technology, Contributing Editor

Phil was born with a determined desire to explore. Whether by Jeep, dual-sport motorcycle, mountain bike, road bike, kayak or on foot, Phil pushes himself to go further and do more. Phil can often be found alone on his adventures as he enjoys the purity of being surrounded by nothing but wilderness. He recently traveled solo on the Continental Divide trail from Mexico to Canada, self-support by Jeep and completely off-highway. Additionally, he has logged over 6,000 miles and numerous legs of the Trans America Trail via dual-sport motorcycle from Tennessee to Oregon, and owns the oldest active geocache in the state of Louisiana.

Phil is an avid endurance cyclist, randonneur, and runner. When Phil is not pushing himself to the limit, he is on a mission to raise awareness for the rare terminal disease his son has called Adrenoleukodystrophy. He has written numerous articles and conducted several interviews regarding his awareness campaign – Expedition Awareness. While his passion runs deep for the great outdoors, it does not compare to that of his family.

Phil resides in Wichita Falls, Texas with his wife and three children.

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Jonathan Hanson, Overland Columnist

Jonathan Hanson’s expedition experience encompasses land and sea-scapes from Baja, Mexico to the Beaufort Sea, from the Libyan Desert to the Namib, and modes of transportation from sea kayaks to sailboats to bicycles to Land Cruisers and Land Rovers.

He has traveled among and worked with cultures as diverse as the Seri Indians and the Himba, the Inuit and the Maasai.

Jonathan has taught wildlife tracking, natural history writing, 4WD techniques, and other subjects for many conservation and government organizations. He is an elected fellow of the Explorers Club, and a charter member of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. His writing experience spans a dozen books and two dozen magazines, including Outside, National Geographic Adventure, Nature Conservancy, Sea Kayaker, and Backpacker.

Jonathan and his wife, Roseann, are the creators and owners of the Overland Expo, the largest adventure travel event of its kind in the world.

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Kraig Becker, Gear & Adventure Author

Kraig is a freelance writer and world traveler who covers mountaineering expeditions, polar exploration, adventure travel, and other outdoor pursuits.

He has served as the Media Director for the Primal Quest expedition adventure race and is the editor of The Adventure Blog.

He is a regular contributor to travel site Gadling.com and the outdoor blogs for The Clymb and the Wenger brand. He has also published stories with Outer Edge Magazine, National Geographic Adventure amongst others.

Kraig resides in Austin, Texas.

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Wes Craiglow, Contributing Author

Wes was bitten by the adventure bug at a young age, spending his boyhood exploring the family farm from sunup to sundown, annual vacations on lonely backroads across the rural South, and dedicating his summers to staff employment at a Boy Scouts camp.

When not on extended paid vacations to Southwest Asia for Uncle Sam, Wes can be found guiding backcountry trips and documenting routes, destinations, and stories in the U.S. and Central America.

Wes is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Central Overland, an online magazine dedicated to vehicle-based adventure travel, and resides in central Arkansas with his wife and two kids.

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Mark Stephens, Contributing Author

Mark is an adventurer who was born of, reared by, and educated in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert.

He has climbed the walls of Devil’s Canyon, trekked the trails throughout the Rocky Mountains, slept on the ground in most National Parks, rope-swung into a river here and there, driven the back roads of the southwest U.S. and Mexico, enjoyed song and cerveza in the cantinas of the Baja peninsula, and otherwise traveled like a backpacking pilgrim from British Columbia to Peru.

Mark holds a degree in English from Arizona State University; he learned from composition maestros such as Jeanne Dugan, Robert Krut, and G. Lynn Nelson. His work has been published in Overland Journal, Nissan Sport Magazine, Arizona Outdoorsman, and JPFreek Adventure Magazine. Mark and his wife are also the curators of Adventure Parents, a resource focused on the adventures of raising children to enjoy an active, outdoor lifestyle.

Mark resides in Arizona with his wife and two children.

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Allan & Jackie Ellis, Contributing Authors

Alan & Jackie are avid off-highway enthusiasts who have immersed themselves into a lengthy list of outdoor activities, be it land, water, or air.

Their primary recreation vehicle is a Jeep Rubicon and it has traveled all over the continental United States on backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing, sailing, and skydiving adventures.

Additionally, Jackie and Alan are professional skydivers and work as instructors at Skydive Dallas in Texas.

MCC LOGO GEAR

We are almost ready to reveal a whole bunch of swag for the Muddy Chef Challenge! Some will be for sale and some will be for prizes! We are creating original design hats, t-shirts, stickers, and maybe the coolest item of all, high-tech fabric Safari style shirts with embroidered logos!

Check the “Merchandise” section of the website shortly for pricing and ordering information!

Interested in becoming a Sponsor or Vendor at the Muddy Chef Challenge? Be sure to visit our Sponsor section for more information. Alternately just send an e-mail to info@muddychef.com and we will respond to you within 24 hours with a sponsor information package.